Apparatus for folding shirts and similar articles of clothing

ABSTRACT

A plurality of shirt folding tables are mounted between two multi-armed turnstiles 17, 18 whose axes of rotation are horizontally offset with respect to each other while being coupled by a universal jointed shaft 23 for simultaneous rotation. By reason of the offset axes the folding tables remain horizontal at all times during their intermittent rotation from one position to the next through a Maltese cross drive arrangement.

United States Patent [1 1 Kannegiesser et al.

[451 Sept. 9, 1975 APPARATUS FOR FOLDING SHIRTS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES OFCLOTHING [75] Inventors: Martin Kannegiesser, Bad Salzuflen;

Heinrich Knappe, Eidinghausen, both of Germany [73] Assignee: FirmaHerbert Kannegiusser Kommanditgesellschaft, Vlotho, Germany [22] Filed:Feb. 7, I974 [2l] Appl. No.: 440,610

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 12, 1973 Germany 2306815[52] US. Cl. 223/37 [5 I] Int. Cl. A41H 33/00 [58] Field of Search .4223/37 57, 1', 53/21 R,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,948,442 8/l960 Kremer eta] 223/57 3,464 602 9/1969 Romansky 223/57 Primary ExaminerGeo. V.Larkin Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Sughrue, Rothwell, Mion, Zinn andMacpeak [57] ABSTRACT A plurality of shirt folding tables are mountedbetween two multi-armed turnstiles 17, 18 whose axes of rotation arehorizontally offset with respect to each other while being coupled by auniversal jointed shaft 23 for simultaneous rotation. By reason of theoffset axes the folding tables remain horizontal at all times duringtheir intermittent rotation from one position to the next through aMaltese cross drive arrangement.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTED SEP 9 SHEEI 1 OF 2 APPARATUS FORFOLDING SHIRTS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES OF CLOTHING BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates toapparatus for folding shirts or similar articles of clothing for packingwherein a plurality of folding tables are adapted to rotate insynchronism and the folding elements of this apparatus are actuatableprogressively from as the tables move from station to station, thefolding devices maintaining a horizontal position during their movement.

2. Description of the Prior Art The disadvantage of the prior art devicewhich is de scribed in German OS 1 760 429 is that a plurality offolding devices, namely at least twice as many as folding stations areguided in a forward stroke plane and in a return stroke plane which isvertically displaced with respect thereto. As a result, this apparatusis especially prone to breakdowns, is cumbersome and involves fairlyhigh production costs.

In the case of the apparatus of the type mentioned initially which isdescribed in German U.M. 7 105 284, six folding devices are displaced inthe manner of a roundabout about a vertical center part or axis and arethus conveyed to six folding stations in sequence. The disadvantage ofthis device is that it requires a fairly large amount of space.

ln the case of these known devices (German OS I 760 429 and German U.M.7 105 284) the folding processes for folding a shirt or similar articleof clothing for packing are effected with the necessary manualassistance in a plurality of folding stations in such a way that eachoperator situated at a folding station only carries out a part of thetotal necessary folding and preparation processes and manualoperationspossibly in combination with the mechanical activation of apart of the folding elements of the folding devices. Hence the foldingof articles of clothing for packing is effected largely manually whichconstitutes a disadvantage.

Another known device of the type described initially which is similar tothe device according to German U.M. 7 l 284 but which enables fullymechanized folding of articles of underclothing is described in German08 l 964 228. The particular disadvantage of this device is that itrequires a fairly large amount of space. A further disadvantage of theabove-mentioned known device comprising folding devices displaceable inthe manner of a roundabout about a vertical center part or axis (GermanU.M. 7 105 284 and German OS 1 964 228) is that the folding devices ofthis apparatus are not readily accessible from all sides, at least fromtheir two longitudinal sides, thereby rendering the fully mechanizedfolding for packing of shirts or similar articles of clothing havinglong sleeves-if not impossible then extremely disadvantageous.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is therefore toprovide apparatus of the type mentioned initially which obviates thedisadvantages of the known devices. that is, which is not subject tobreakdowns, is not cumbersome and does not involve high production costsand furthermore which is designed in such a way that the folding tablesare readily accessible from all sides and at the very least from theirtwo longitudinal sides, thereby permitting fully mechanized folding forpacking of shirts or other long-sleeved articles of clothing.

The device according to the invention is characterized in that thefolding table are arranged at the ends of the arms of at least onemultiarmed turnstile adapted to rotate about a horizontal axis.

With this arrangement of the folding devices the apparatus according tothe invention has the following advantages:

It requires relatively little charging space and thus does not take upmuch room.

The folding tables are accessible from practically all sides butespecially from their two longitudinal sides, thereby making possiblefully mechanized folding of shirts and similar long-sleeved articles ofclothing for packing.

The energy required for operating the folding ele' ments of the foldingdevices can be supplied to these without difficulty. Thus the devices isnot prone to breakdowns.

No guide rollers, guide rails and the like are required for guiding thefolding tables which constitutes an advantage in as far as thesusceptibility of the device to breakdowns and the production costs ofthe device are concerned.

A further development of the invention provides for the arrangement inparallel with mutual spacing of two multi-armed turnstiles. Thisconstitutes an advantage because it provides especially good mountingsupport for the folding devices and only minimal forces from the foldingdevices act on the multi-armed turnstiles.

It is advantageous for the axes of the two multi-armed turnstiles to behorizontally staggered with respect to each other. This is an advantagebecause it enables the folding devices to be kept in an unchanginghorizontal position in an especially advantageous manner during theirentire rotational movement.

Another advantage is to provide at least five and at maximum six pairsof arms of the turnstiles, each pair having a folding table attachedthereto. This is advantageous because this number of folding tablescorresponds to the number of folding stations normally required forfolding an article of clothing for packing in equal periods of time andconsequently there are no more folding tables than are necessary whichhas a favorable effect on the production costs of the apparatus.

Another advantage is constituted by the arrangement of the foldingtables between arms of the multi-arrned turnstiles arranged in parallelwith mutual spacing. This constitutes an advantage because it means thatthe folding tables are freely accessible, particularly on theirlongitudinal sides even when two multi-armed turnstiles are provided,the term accessible meaning that there is sufficient room for the sidesand sleeves of an article of clothing which has been placed manually ona folding table to hang free and also for the folding elements and theirmovements.

It is also an advantage for the two armed turnstiles to be joined bymeans of a drive shaft at their rotating axes, thereby enabling them tobe rotated simultaneously. This is an advantage because when twomultiarmed turnstiles staggered with respect to each other are provided,it is only necessary for one turnstile to be driven by a drive unitwhich is advantageous as far as the production costs of the device areconcerned.

It is further advantageous for the multi-armed tumstiles to be capableof being driven by a Maltese cross transmission. This is an advantagebecause this known type of drive means for turnstiles and the likedriven in synchronism is relatively free from breakdowns and favorablyinfluences the production costs of the device.

The device having the above-mentioned features according to theinvention, is thus substantially more advantageous than theabove-mentioned known devices and also enables long-sleeved articles ofclothing to be folded for packing fully mechanically in periods of equalduration after being placed manually on the folding tables.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will bemade apparent from the following detailed description of the preferredembodiment thereof when reference is made to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a side view of a devicecomprising two mul' ti-armed turnstiles, the axes of which arehorizontally staggered with respect to each other.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view through a device according to FIG. 1approximately along the line AA of this figure.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of one of the folding tables according to FIG. 1.

The reference numeral in the drawings relate to the following:

shirt (unfolded and not prepared for packing) 10' shirt (folded andready for packing) 11-16 folding tables 17 turnstile, multi-armed 18turnstile, multi-armed 19 shaft of 17 20 shaft of 18 21 brackets 22brackets 23 driving shaft 24 Maltese cross transmission 25 ratchet wheelof 24 26 driver of 24 27 driving pins of 26 28 shaft journals of 29 29geared motor 30 arrow (direction of rotation of 17 and 18) 31 support 40ends of the arms of the turnstile 17 41 ends of the arms of theturnstile I8 I Vl folding stations DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERREDEMBODIMENTS The apparatus according to the invention represented in thedrawings and intended for the fully mech anized folding of shirts andsimilar articles of clothing after they have been placed manually on thefolding tables consists essentially of the folding tables 11 16, whichare secured between two multi-armed turnstiles 17,18, arranged inparallel with mutual spacing, the axes of rotation of which 19, 20, arestaggered with respect to each other. The folding tables 11 16 arearranged at the ends of the arms 40, 41 of the turnstiles 17, 18, insuch a way that they occupy a horizontal position, throughout therotation of the turnstiles I7, 18.

The shafts 19, 20, of the two multi-armed turnstiles 17, 18, arerotatably mounted in the supports 31 on the brackets 21, 22, and areinterconnected by means of a driving shaft 23. In this way, when themulti-armed turnstile 17 is being driven in the direction of the arrow30 by means of the Maltese cross transmission 24, the multiarmedturnstile 18 is simultaneously driven therewith.

The Maltese cross transmission 24 consists essentially of the ratchetwheel 25 and the drive means 26 comprising the driving pin 27 and isarranged in such a way that the ratchet wheel 25 rests on the axis 19 ofthe multi-armed turnstile 17 and the driver 26 on the shaft journal 28of the geared motor.

The folding elements for folding the shirt once it is placed on thefolding tables 11 16 and the feed devices for accessories, for example,pasteboard inserts, pins, clips, etc., are not shown in the drawings asthese may be constructed and arranged in a manner known in itself.

The folding elements are also controlled in a known manner, namely bymeans of electric and pneumatic circuit components which are notrepresented in the drawings. This also applies to the control of theMaltese cross transmission 24 and thus the synchronized rotationalmovement of the folding devices 11 16.

The electric and pneumatic circuits and the Maltese cross transmissioncontrol means may be of any type to achieve the desired function of theapparatus and, per se, form no part of the instant invention.

The device operates in the following manner:

The article of clothing,l that is, clothing, shirt 10 which is to befolded for packing, is placed by the operator of the apparatus on thefolding table 11 located in the position I as shown in FIG. 1. It isthen moved in a synchronized manner to the subsequent positions II-VIwhere it is progressively folded for packing so that when it reachesposition VI it is completely folded (10'), as is also represented inFIG. I.

The folded shirt 10' can be mechanically removed from the position VI orthe folding table (16) located in this station and may be transportedelsewhere by a conveying device, for example, a conveyor belt which isnot shown in the drawings.

As soon as the folding table 11 with the shirt 10 placed thereuponreaches position II and the folding table 16 without the shirt 10'reaches position I, the op erator of the device can place the next shirtwhich is not shown in the drawings onto the folding device 16. Thisshirt is then folded and prepared in the same manner as the shirt l0 andremoved from folding station VI.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for supporting a shirt or similar article of clothing andmoving said shirt or similar article of clothing between a plurality ofpositions wherein said shirt or similar article of clothing isprogressively folded for packaging comprising:

a. a pair of multi-armed, rotatable turnstiles, (17,18) each turnstilehaving a plurality of arms protruding radially therefrom,

b. a plurality of folding tables (11, 12, I3, 14, 15 & 16), each tablepivotally attached to one arm of each turnstile such that each saidtable remains in a predetermined orientation with respect to saidturnstiles throughout the rotation of said turnstiles, and

c. means to rotate said turnstiles.

2. Apparatus according to claim I wherein the two multi-armed turnstiles(17,18) are arranged parallel to each other with mutual spacing.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least five arms protruderadially from each turnstile, and at least five folding tables (11-16)are attached thereto.

6. Apparatus according to claim I, wherein the multiarmed turnstiles(17,18) are rotated by means of a Maltese cross transmission (24).

i I t F I

1. Apparatus for supporting a shirt or similar article of clothing andmoving said shirt or similar article of clothing between a plurality ofpositions wherein said shirt or similar article of clothing isprogressively folded for packaging comprising: a. a pair of multi-armed,rotatable turnstiles, (17,18) each turnstile having a plurality of armsprotruding radially therefrom, b. a plurality of folding tables (11, 12,13, 14, 15 & 16), each table pivotally attached to one arm of eachturnstile such that each said table remains in a predeterminedorientation with respect to said turnstiles throughout the rotation ofsaid turnstiles, and c. means to rotate said turnstiles.
 2. Apparatusaccording to claim 1 wherein the two multi-armed turnstiles (17,18) arearranged parallel to each other with mutual spacing.
 3. Apparatusaccording to claim 2, wherein shafts (19,20) coincident with the axes ofrotation of the two multi-armed turnstiles (17,18) are horizontallystaggered with respect to each other.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 3,wherein the shafts (19,20) of the two multi-armed turnstiles (17,18) areinterconnected by means of a driving shaft (23) and are thus caused torotate simultaneously.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein atleast five arms protrude radially from each turnstile, and at least fivefolding tables (11-16) are attached thereto.
 6. Apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the multi-armed turnstiles (17,18) are rotated by meansof a Maltese cross transmission (24).